50cc Saw ?

[Knute]

Just had 40,000 bf of red oak logs taken from my woods and the tops are there for me. Would like to buy a 50cc saw to go along with the 272xp. Looking at Echo 501P, Husky 550xp and Stihl 261. The Husky is about $100 more than the Echo and not sure of the price on the 261. Wondering if any of you with any of these saws have a good or bad opinion.

[John Mc]

There is a thread on here entitled Official MS261CM vs 550XP you might want to check out.

[HolmenTree]

So far I've found the MS261CM to be a more user friendly saw to run versus the 550XP.
Both saws have a single master control switch and the Stihl's is so much easier to use, plus no primer bulb to mess with.

[PNWRusty]

The Husky is about $100 more than the Echo and not sure of the price on the 261. Wondering if any of you with any of these saws have a good or bad opinion.

If it's just for the one job, save your money and get the Echo. If you want to keep it for life, close your eyes and buy the 261CM. You'll be glad you didn't let the extra dollars influence your decision every time you use it.

Only a rich man can afford cheap tools.

[John Mc]

Personally, I would go with whichever brand has the best full-service dealer in your area. Maybe if you are a chainsaw mechanic, this won't make much difference to you.

They are all reputable brands. There are those who will say that Husqvarna and Stihl are a step above the others, but there are some very knowledgeable people on here who are big fans of Echo and Dolmar. I have no experience with those two (mainly because I haven't found a dealer I trust, and both Husky and Stihl have excellent dealers within 15 minutes of me).

Beyond that, it's largely a matter of personal preference or which feels better in use to you.

[Knute]

OK, Thank You for taking the time to reply. I appreciate it. Will give it some more thought.